System for recording from live source or dubbing to multiple tapes

Abstract

A system for making multiple duplicates of live program material or dubbing from a master cassette comprises a central control panel for operating a master deck and simultaneously controlling a plurality of slave decks. Operation of the system selectively in live performance recording and dubbing modes of operation is controlled from separate switches at the control panel while override circuitry prevents recording on the master if live performance recording and dubbing operation switches are operated simultaneously. Each deck includes a pivotable cassette lid and a pack switch responsive to the lid to control the corresponding deck independently of the others enabling recording from live programming to be staggered in time among multiple cassettes. During dubbing, when both the master and slave decks are to be operated, the master deck is delayed upon start-up for a duration sufficient to compensate for the nonrecordable leader portion of the slave cassette.

I claim: 
     
       1. A system for copying program signals from a master tape to a slave tape having a nonrecordable tape leader, comprising: master and slave drive units for master and slave tapes;   a first head for reproducing program signals prerecorded on said master tape;   a second head for recording program signals on said slave tape; and   control means coupled to a control panel and said master and slave tape drive units and responsive to a panel selection of a dubbing mode of operation for energizing said master and slave drive units and controlling said first and second heads to copy program signals from said master tape to said slave tapes;   wherein said control means includes a delay circuit coupled to said master drive unit and operative during said dubbing mode to delay energizing only said master drive unit following a start-up of said system for a duration sufficient to enable the nonrecordable tape leader of said slave tape to bypass said second head;   further comprising multiple slave drive units operable simultaneously by said control means to make multiple copies of said master tape program signals; wherein (a) said master and slave drive units are incorporated in cassette decks, including a microphone input;   (b) said control means is responsive to a panel selection of a live performance recording mode of operation for recording live performance signals received through said microphone input onto cassettes in said multiple decks simultaneously;   (c) said control panel includes control switches to commonly control multiple slave decks;   (d) said control panel further includes means for generating a control signal in response to operation of a control switch;   (e) each slave deck includes a control signal conditioning circuit for amplifying and removing spurious components from said control signal; and   (f) said master deck includes input terminals for receiving control signals from said control panel and output terminals for sending control signals to a slave deck, and each slave deck includes input terminals for receiving control signals from said master deck or another slave deck and output terminals for sending control signals to a slave deck.     
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1, wherein each deck includes a lid pivotable open and closed, and a pack switch responsive to said lid for controlling the corresponding drive unit independently of the others. 
     
     
       3. A system for copying program signals from a master tape to a slave tape having a nonrecordable tape leader, comprising: master and slave drive units for master and slave tapes;   a first head for reproducing program signals prerecorded on said master tape;   a second head for recording program signals on said slave tape; and   control means coupled to a control panel and said master and slave tape drive units and responsive to a panel selection of a dubbing mode of operation for energizing said master and slave drive units and controlling said first and second heads to copy program signals from said master tape to said slave tape;   wherein said control means includes a delay circuit coupled to said master drive unit and operative during said dubbing mode to delay energizing only said master drive unit following a start-up of said system for a duration sufficient to enable the nonrecordable tape leader of said slave tape to bypass said second head;   further comprising multiple slave drive units operable simultaneously by said control means to make multiple copies of said master tape program signals; wherein (a) said master and slave drive units are incorporated in cassette decks, including a microphone input;   (b) said control means is responsive to a panel selection of a live performance recording mode of operation for recording live performance signals received through said microphone input onto cassettes in said multiple decks simultaneously; and   (e) said control panel includes a first bank of switches for controlling said system to operate in the dubbing mode and a second bank of switches for controlling said system to operate in the live performance recording mode, and override circuitry coupled to said first and second banks of switches to override one or the other when switches of both banks are operated simultaneously.     
     
     
       4. The system of claim 3, wherein, to prevent recording on the master tape, said override circuitry overrides the recording mode of operation when recording mode and dubbing mode panel switches are operated simultaneously. 
     
     
       5. A system for recording making multiple copies of program material derived from a live performance or a master cassette, comprising: master and slave decks for master and slave cassettes;   a first head for reproducing program signals prerecorded on said master cassette;   second heads for recording program signals on each slave cassette; and   control means coupled to a control panel and said master and slave decks and responsive (1) to a panel selection of a dubbing mode of operation for energizing said master and slave decks and controlling said first and second heads to reproduce on said slave cassettes program signals reproduced from said master cassette, and (2) to a panel selection of a live recording mode of operation for energizing said slave decks and controlling said second heads to record on said slave cassettes live program signals received from a microphone;   wherein said control panel includes a first bank of switches for controlling said system to operate in the dubbing mode, and a second bank of switches for controlling said system to operate in the live performance recording mode, and override circuitry coupled to said first and second banks of switches to override the recording mode of operation when recording mode and dubbing mode panel switches are operated simultaneously, so as to prevent recording on said master cassette.   
     
     
       6. The system of claim 5, wherein said second bank of switches commonly controls multiple slave cassette decks. 
     
     
       7. The system of claim 5, wherein said control panel includes means for generating a control signal in response to operation of a said switch, and wherein each slave deck includes a control signal conditioning circuit for amplifying and removing spurious components from said control signal. 
     
     
       8. The system of claim 5, wherein each deck includes a lid pivotable open and closed, and a pack switch responsive to said lid for controlling the corresponding drive unit independently of the others. 
     
     
       9. The system of claim 5, wherein said master deck includes an input terminal for receiving control signals from said control panel and an output terminal for sending control signals to a slave deck, and   each slave deck includes an input terminal for receiving a control signal from said master deck or another slave deck and an output terminal for sending control signals to a slave deck.   
     
     
       10. The system of claim 5, wherein said cassettes each include a nonrecordable tape leader, and further wherein said control means includes delaying means operative during said dubbing mode to delay energizing said master drive unit following a start-up of said system for a duration sufficient to enable the nonrecordable tape leaders of said slaves to bypass said second heads. 
     
     
       11. A system for recording to multiple cassettes program material derived from a live performance or a master cassette, comprising: master and slave decks for master and slave cassettes;   a first head for reproducing program signals prerecorded on said master cassette;   second heads for recording program signals to said slave cassettes;   a control panel having control means coupled to said master and slave decks and responsive (1) to a panel selection of a dubbing mode of operation for energizing said master and slave decks and controlling said first and second heads to reproduce on said slave cassettes program signals reproduced from said master cassette, and (2) to a panel selection of a live recording mode of operation for energizing said slave decks and controlling said second heads to record on said slave cassettes live program signals received from a microphone;   said control panel including a first bank of switches for controlling said system to operate in the dubbing mode and a second bank of switches for controlling said system to operate in the live performance recording mode; and   override circuitry coupled to said first and second banks of switches to override the recording mode of operation when first and second banks of switches are operated simultaneously, so as to prevent recording on said master cassette;   each deck including a cassette lid pivotable open and closed, and a pack switch coupled to said lid for controlling the corresponding drive unit independently of the others.   
     
     
       12. The system of claim 11, wherein said cassettes each include a nonrecordable leader, and further wherein said control means includes delaying means operative during said dubbing mode to delay energizing said master drive unit following a start-up of said system for a duration sufficient to enable the nonrecordable leader portions of said slaves to bypass said second heads. 
     
     
       13. A system for copying program signals from a master tape to a slave tape having a nonrecordable tape leader, comprising: master and slave drive units incorporated in cassette decks for master and slave tapes;   a first head for reproducing program signals prerecorded on said master tape;   a second head for recording program signals on said slave tape;   control means coupled to a control panel and said master and slave tape drive units and responsive to a panel selection of a dubbing mode of operation for energizing said master and slave drive units and controlling said first and second heads to copy program signals from said master tape to said slave tape;   multiple slave drive units being operable simultaneously by said control means to make multiple copies of said master tape program signals;   a microphone input, said control means being responsive to a panel selection of a recording mode of operation for recording live performance signals received through said microphone input onto said multiple tapes simultaneously;   wherein said control panel includes control switches to commonly control multiple slave decks, and means for generating a control signal in response to operation of a control switch;   said master cassette deck including an input terminal for receiving control signals from said control panel and an output terminal for sending control signals to a slave deck; and   each slave deck including an input terminal for receiving a control signal from said master tape or another slave tape and an output terminal for sending control signals to a slave deck, and further including a control signal conditioning circuit for amplifying and removing spurious components from said control signal.   
     
     
       14. A system for copying program signals from a master tape to a slave tape having a nonrecordable tape leader, comprising: master and slave drive units incorporated in cassette decks for master and slave tapes;   a first head for reproducing program signals prerecorded on said master tape;   a second head for recording program signals on said slave tape;   control means coupled to a control panel and said master and slave tape drive units and responsive to a panel selection of a dubbing mode of operation for energizing said master and slave drive units and controlling said first and second heads to copy program signals from said master tape to said slave tape;   wherein said control means includes delaying means operative during said dubbing mode to delay energizing said master drive unit following a start-up of said system for a duration sufficient to enable the nonrecordable tape leader of said slave to bypass said second head;   multiple slave drive units being operable simultaneously by said control means to make multiple copies of said master tape program signals;   a microphone input, said control means being responsive to a panel selection of a recording mode of operation for recording live performance signals received through said microphone input onto cassettes in said multiple decks simultaneously; and   wherein said control panel includes a first bank of switches for controlling said system to operate in the dubbing mode and a second bank of switches for controlling said system to operate in the live performance recording mode, and override circuitry coupled to said first and second banks of switches to override one or the other when switches of both banks are operated simultaneously.   
     
     
       15. The system of claim 14, wherein, to prevent recording on the master tape, said override circuitry overrides the recording mode of operation when recording mode and dubbing mode panel switches are operated simultaneously.